Finding the Best Places to Retire Since 2006!
Salado, Texas
Once a College Town, Today Charming, Rustic Salado is a Favorite with Artists and Weekend Vacationers
Along dusty Interstate 35 on the northern edge of the Texas Hill Country, the charming village of Salado is a diamond in the rough. It started out as a college town in the 1850s and was a busy stagecoach stop on the Chisholm Trail.
The college closed, but Salado morphed into a casual, trendy artists' colony and today thrives as a weekend getaway for people from Waco, Temple and Austin. With 18 structures listed on the National Register of Historic Places, early Texas never feels far away. Main Street is full of cute boutiques, fun antique stores, cool art galleries and delicious restaurants, many housed in historic, refurbished mansions. Nooks and crannies off the main drag hide even more places to explore. Many of the galleries sell goods made by local artists, and their glassworks, paintings, jewelry, sculptures and more come in all price ranges.
Each October, Art in the Park showcases the work of more than 100 artists, and September's Chocolate and Art Festival celebrates all things chocolate with music, wine tastings and chocolate sculpting events. There is even an annual honoring of Scottish clans.
Large retailers are few. Many residents travel 10 miles north to Belton or Temple for everyday shopping and services. Most neighborhoods are leafy, and many homes are brick ranch ramblers. Pace Park, shaded by tall cottonwoods, sits next to Salado Creek and is a nice spot for a picnic.
Nearly 2,500 people live in Salado, and 48% of them are age 45 or better. About 55% of locals hold a four-year college degree. The town has grown 18% during the last decade.
The cost of living is 24% above the national average, and the median home price is around $600,000. Real estate prices have increased 7% from a year ago.
The area has a humid subtropical climate with hot, humid summer temperatures reaching into the 90s and mild winters in the 40s, 50s, and 60s, averaging about 35 inches of rain annually.
While there is no local hospital, Baylor Scott and White Medical Center is just 13 miles away in Temple. There is also no public transit but there is a public library.
The crime rate is well below the national average, and politically residents lean to the right.
A Salado retirement has some downsides. Salado Creek has flooded in the past and likely will again. The tornado rish is above the national average.
Some people think of Salado as a smaller, less pretentious, and more affordable version of Santa Fe, New Mexico.
Central Texas is a region that blends fast-growing cities with wide-open countryside, offering both cultural energy and small-town charm.
Anchored by Austin, the state capital known for its music scene and tech economy, the area also includes historic towns like Waco, Georgetown, and Fredericksburg, each with their own character and attractions. Rolling Hill Country landscapes provide opportunities for hiking, wineries, and scenic drives, while lakes and rivers offer boating and fishing.
The climate brings hot summers, mild winters, and plenty of sunshine, making it a year-round outdoor destination.
With a lower cost of living than Texas’s larger coastal metros, strong healthcare access, and a thriving mix of traditions and modern growth, Central Texas appeals to retirees, families, and professionals alike.
The state is considered tax friendly for retirement.
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